Jairus on TV (part 1)

Reporter: "In the TV studio today, we have a local celebrity and prominent religious leader, Jairus. He has come to tell us of a recent event involving himself and Jesus, the traveling preacher-healer. Welcome to the show, Jairus."

Jairus: "Thank you for inviting me. I am glad to be here."

Reporter: "It is our understanding your daughter recently suffered a very seriously illness. Could you tell us about her and her illness?"

Jairus: "I would be glad to. My daughter is a very petite girl for her age. This case of pneumonia-like crud began when..."

Reporter (interrupting): "Excuse me! Is that what the doctors called it, or is that your description?"

Jairus: "Yes ma'am! They called it 'pneumonia-like crud'. The doctor had never seen anything exactly like it. His uncertainty was compounded by her small size. When he got the best medicine, the dosage was too strong. When he considered her body size and calculated the dosage, then the medicine was worthless. The entire time she was hospitalized, she got weaker and weaker. She was in a vicious, downward spiraling cycle."

Reporter: "Was the ever a moment you gave up hope?"

Jairus: "I will not say we gave up hope, but there were times we could see only doom. For example, when our doctor took us to his office and sat us down. He told us he had consulted a doctor just returning from Jerusalem Medical Science University. They had no answers. Our doctor advised us to take her home and make her as comfortable as possible until the end. He said there was nothing more he could do."

Reporter: "So you took your small daughter home. You looked at her knowing the doctors had given up. Tell us of your thoughts."

Jairus: "The first 36 hours my wife and I were in total shock. We could not fathom her not finishing high school. She would never drive a car. She was slowly dying. In one of those depressed moments, I remembered friends of mine telling stories about Jesus from Nazareth. I read in the Galilean Gazette how he healed many that came to him. I am a friend of the now-clean leper. I remember all his talk. An acquaintance told of four men tearing off a roof to lower their friend before Jesus. Jesus healed him, he said. I heard about a man, like me, with a close family servant dying. He went to Jesus, and asked Him to heal the servant by giving the order. They say it worked, but I do not know. I have heard many stories of Jesus healing by touching people. I know some are true. I began thinking, 'Why not my girl?'"

Reporter: "So what did you do?"

Jairus: "A neighbor came by to visit her. They said Jesus was in town. I asked, 'Where?' They told me. I bolted out the door. I did not know what I would do, but I knew I had to get there."

Reporter: "What happened next?"

Jairus: "Before I got across town, I thought about how to speak to Jesus. I am a ruler of a synagogue, a leader, and I must act accordingly. I decided to show dignity when I met this transient preacher. But when I approached him, I realized how great He was. I fell at his feet and worshiped Him. I begged and pleaded for Him to touch my daughter."

Reporter: "I did not know worshiping men was allowed in the Judaism. I thought you could worship only God?"

Jairus: "You are right. We should worship only God. But Jesus is God! Who else could heal my leper friend, or prevent death, or make the lame walk? No one but God could do these things."

Reporter: "How did Jesus respond?"

Jairus: "He gently accepted my worship and did not gripe at my little faith. He said, 'Well, let's go.'"

Reporter: "Was there not an interruption, while you, Jesus, and the crowd were going to your house?"

Jairus: "Yes, there was. A woman as desperate as me touched Jesus."

Reporter: "Jairus, we will come back to hear about this interruption and the conclusion of your remarkable story in just a moment. But right now, a word from our sponsors."
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Would you evaluate three ideas from this story?

1. Was Jairus was right? Could Jesus have shamed him for being a ruler of a synagogue and not having greater faith? He did not. Jesus will not scold you for having a small faith.
2. Bad events happen. God does not make bad events. He does allow them. Wretched days prompt us to look for Jesus' help. Jesus takes the Devil's gruesome crisis and turns it to stunning, sublime and splendid days. Have you enjoyed one of these lately?
3. Jesus will fortify your faith. Strengthening requires your complete trust. Read the stories of Jesus. He enhances faith in active followers. Are you reading about Him? Following him daily?

Psoriasis and Priorities

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease that is non-contagious, according to Wikipedia. It produces extra skin (thicker) with red blotches, white-scales or both. 

Those suffering from this disease, are certain to tire of the problems associated with it. But how valuable is the cure for a disease that returns?

Much earlier in my life I made simple commercials for a low-power television station. Now I view commercials with a caustic eye, critical of how they control viewer thought processes to reach their desired end. Either the producers are incredibly brilliant, we (viewers) are extremely dull-minded, or we are amazingly stupid. 

Take for example the advertisements of pharmaceutical companies. You are told the astounding results of their medication while showing you pictures of people without any disease living life to the fullest with large smiles of contentment. Producers want you to think their product will make everything wonderful again, regardless of whether we have just had a heart attach, or have death-causing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Fortunately, the government requires them to tell you the negative side effects. This is more difficult for producers to overcome. But they do very well by using either our inattentiveness or our stupidity. The legal requirements are quickly met while continuing the barrage of images of 'cured' people with happy families in 2-second scenes of recreation. 

Were you listening or watching?

One drug that begins with the letter "S" is used to treat psoriasis. The producer creates thoughts of their drug giving perfect, beautiful skin. Quickly you are told the side effect could lead to death. 

Lead to death??? Friends, did he just say you could DIE if you that use their product??

How valuable is nice skin? Is dieing an acceptable cost to having pretty skin?? Will your skin look good as people file past your coffin??

WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES???

Ok. We have a problem, and it is NOT our stupidity.

One problem is our dullness or inattentiveness. Jesus quoted Isaiah as saying the Jews were dull-hearted, not listening, and with closed eyes. The Apostle Paul told Christians from a Jewish background their dullness was limiting what he could teach them. 

The second (and MOST IMPORTANT) problem is losing track of what is important. Search for His kingdom and what is right. Re-establishing relationships with offending(-ed) brothers BEFORE attempting worship. Correcting self before correcting others. Loving God supremely. Being ready and willing to give.

An answer to our priority problems should begin with focusing on things above and not on things down here (COL 3:1-2).

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What commercials have you seen that change your thinking? 

What experiences have you had at re-establishing priorities?

Please rate this blog, or kindly write a short comment or answer.

A Family Redefined

I watched on Cold Case a story of a tragic family. The mother turned work-a-holic to avoid being around her husband and kids. The father created a child porn website featuring a boy he had bought from a kidnapping-gone-bad. The actual son had been the 'star' of the website, thinking what his father was doing was real love, up till he became a teen when he was relegated to a support-the-father role. To say the family had problems is being too kind.

In the Bible I read of a man who left his mom, leaving the her care to the younger brothers and sisters. His work made him very popular. 

One day his family came to check up on him. They were having trouble getting to see him because of the crowd. They sent word to him that they were there. He asked the messenger something like "Who are they?" Then he redefined his family with a famous quotation.

How does God feel about families? Let's just see.

• The size of your family, or its value in the community is not important to God. He can use any family accepting His use.
• All families can have salvation from God. Abraham's family, the Jews, had salvation presented to them.
• Every family gets its identity from God.
• God expects children and grandchildren to help their parents in difficult times.
• God wants every member of a family to worship him.

Jesus redefined his family as the doers of God's word. These family members do not deceive themselves, nor do they forget what they are told. It is these family members, the ones obeying God's instructions, that will have their work blessed.

Do we need to redefine our families? What will it take to redefine a family?

What kind of family-life did Jesus have?
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